What’s ‘Constantine,’ Who’s John Constantine, And What Does This All Have To Do With The Rock Star Sting???

No, Fall TV premiere season is not over. Tonight, NBC debuts its latest fall drama, Constantine. The supernatural thriller boasts a guy from Lost, lots of demons, and a hip comic book pedigree. While John Constantine might be a massive deal in the graphic novel world, it’s not like he’s as instantly recognizable as Batman. So, here’s a quick and handy primer on all things Constantine so you can study up before tonight’s big premiere.

First thing’s first: What is Constantine?

It’s a new horror/adventure series on NBC that is based on the exploits of John Constantine. He is a very popular character from Vertigo and DC comics.

In the 1980s, comic book writers like Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, and Grant Morrison started pushing creative boundaries in their works. They started to experiment with darker, more mature themes, and wrote about characters that interacted with the occult. However, they were often creatively hampered by the Comics Code Authority, which censored comics for violence, profanity, and nudity. It also just so happened that many of these ground-breaking titles were overseen at DC Comics by Karen Berger.

So, in 1993, Berger was put in charge of a slick new imprint within DC called Vertigo. It would be a place for comics that were intended for adult readers, and therefore could sidestep the CCA’s ratings. Think of Vertigo as HBO in tone, while DC is still, uh, NBC. Traditional DC Comics heroes like Batman, Superman, and the Green Arrow would stay at DC, while Neil Gaiman’s Sandman and John Constantine would get to do what they pleased at Vertigo.

Okay. Cool. Got it. Who is John Constantine then?

John Constantine is considered the most popular Vertigo character. He’s kind of like their Tony Soprano, if you will. However, he’s not a New Jersey mafia dude. Rather, he’s a sarcastic Brit who is part working class warlock, part detective, and part conman. He comes from a long line of magicians, squares off against demons, and has a distinctly punk rock attitude. He also looks a bit like Sting.

Why does he look like Sting?

Well, according to Alan Moore (the guy who wrote Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and who created Constantine for his run on Swamp Thing), John Constantine was only invented because the artists he was working with on Swamp Thing loved The Police and kept wanting to draw in a character that looked exactly like Sting.

So, John Constantine looks a little like Sting because he’s supposed to.

That’s kind of funny.

I know, right?

Didn’t Keanu Reeves play him in a movie? Keanu Reeves doesn’t look like Sting.

Yes, Keanu Reeves played John Constantine in the film, Constantine, and no, Keanu Reeves does not look like Sting. In fact, Keanu Reeves doesn’t even look like John Constantine. Keanu Reeves doesn’t sound like John Constantine. Hardcore Constantine fans hate the movie Constantine because the Hollywood movie changed all of the charming details that make the antihero so popular.

Is NBC also changing the character for Constantine?

Sort of. NBC has endeared itself to fans insomuch that they’ve made the character blonde, gruff, sardonic, and British. By all accounts, the show’s star, Matt Ryan, does an admirable job bringing John Constantine to life.

That said… John Constantine is bisexual in the books and he is firmly heterosexual in the show. Showrunners have hinted that he might have an affair with a man if the show goes on for years and years, but this isn’t good enough for some fans. Also, in the comics, Constantine is a massive chain smoker. It’s a huge part of his character. However, this has been nixed because NBC executives don’t want their heroes smoking tobacco products.

You said there was a guy from Lost?

Yeah! Harold Perrineau (Michael on Lost) is playing Manny, an angel tasked with watching over Constantine. Lucy Griffiths was supposed to be the female lead, and while she appears in the pilot, she will be replaced on the show by Angélica Celaya, who will be playing Zed Martin, a fan-favorite from the comics.

Let me get this straight. John Constantine’s appeal comes from the fact that he’s a character from the Vertigo imprint of comics, which is like the HBO of DC Comics, but NBC is adapting his adventures for network television? Isn’t that going to create some problems?

Probably. And that seems to be the consensus amongst fans and critics alike. The character really needs to be let loose on an edgier network or platform.

Okay, so why should I tune into the show?

Do you like Supernatural? Do you like demon-hunting shows? Was Spike your favorite part of Buffy The Vampire Slayer? Are you going to be barricaded in your apartment at 10 pm tonight because you’re afraid you’ll catch Ebola? You might like Constantine.